Thursday, November 08, 2007

Double Digits!

Did you know that there is basically a Wikipedia article about everything under the sun, including Baked Alaska? My brother calls Wikipedia 'Master Plots for life', and he's right. Did you also know that in French, Baked Alaska is called 'une omelette norvégienne'? These things I know because Peeper-lou had her 10th birthday this week, and Baked Alaska was her humble dessert request. As reaching double digits was always a big deal in my family, we tried to give the kid a day to remember, although I can only dream of attaining Leslie's birthday planning and crafting acumen . The dessert was a hit, as were the presents, (although Tween Thing wasn't so thrilled, I'm sure those of us with siblings recall that particular grievance) which included not one but two One Skein Wonders, hand knit in transit recently by yours truly.

Making these little gems was a true delight as Peeper-lou not only has the smallest back of any 10 year old I know, but is the only person I've ever met who actually wears shrugs on a regular basis .The one pictured above was done in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted (colorway: Bucks Bar), a lovely yarn that I do my best to acquire lots of whenever I can. Luckily Chicago is where it's from, so I am very well provisioned at the moment. My only modification was doing the sleeve and hems in seed stitch rather than the called-for ribbing.The shrug below was done in Malabrigo Chunky (colorway: Bobby Blue). It is my favorite for obvious reasons: the color is a dream and the softness....wow. I see what the hype is all about and I am a true believer now. Imagine knitting with cotton candy, but without the stickiness. Or if a cloud landed on earth and was spun into a substance that you could knit. I now want to sell off my entire stash of all other sweater yarns and go all Malabrigo, all of the time. *sigh*

Killer job on the dessert. Cute pics of the kid and shrugs - and of course the ubiquitous ipod cords :) I just picked up some mmmMalabrigo as a gift for a friend and selfishly considered keeping it. So. soft.

I'm right there with you regarding the Malabrigo. My lil sis bought me some for Christmas last year and honestly it was the best gift I received. I told her I was going to start knitting bras & undies out of the stuff! ;-)

And beautiful Baked Alaska!! I used to be entirely obsessed with that dessert when I was a kid (mostly because there was supposed to be serious flame-age accompanying it) but have actually never had it. Now I want to try it :)

The shrugs are great too! Oh dear, the Malabrigo sounds too lovely to resist. Good thing I don't live in Chicago or my visa would be on fi-yah!

Looks like the shrugs were a hit! Can I suggest "ile flottante" for next year's dessert? The "island" is whipped egg whites (briefly cooked), which taste like clouds and the "sea" is creme anglaise. Mmmmm.

I love that shrug. I can totally relate to your love of Malabrigo. It is exactly like a cloud. Speaking of shrugs if you watch Bones the lead character wore a shrug that had angled shoulders so that the back looked open. My descriptions aren;t the best but I am on the hunt for a pattern like it.